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Jacob Lansa #1
Thunder Cave
Jacob Lansa is an ordinary New York kid - riding his bike, fixing himself snacks after school, and anxiously awaiting letters from his father in Kenya. Then, suddenly, his mother is killed in a terrible accident. Pushed aside by his stepfather, Jacob makes an impulsive decision to set out on his own to find his father. In Africa, with minimal supplies and only his trusty mountain bike for transportation, Jacob faces wild lions, terrible grassland fires, and vicious elephant poachers. His search for his father seems hopeless until he meets Supeet, a Masai on a quest to end the drought that is devastating his country. Working together, the two struggle to find Jacob's father, end the drought, and save the last of the great elephants from extinction. With non-stop action, exotic settings, and Johnny Heller's vivid narration, Thunder Cave takes listeners to the wilds of Africa for the adventure of a lifetime.
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First published January 1, 1995
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About the author
Roland Smith
153 books838 followersRoland Smith is an American author of young adult fiction as well as nonfiction books for children.
Smith was born in Portland, Oregon, and graduated from Portland State University and, following a part-time job at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, began a 20-year career as a zookeeper, both at the Oregon Zoo and the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington. After working to save wildlife following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, in 1990, he published his first book, Sea Otter Rescue, a non-fiction account of the process of animal rescue. Smith continued to draw upon his zoo experiences for other non-fiction titles, including Journey of the Red Wolf, which won an Oregon Book Award in 1996.
In 1997, Smith published his first novel, Thundercave. The book continues Smith's theme, as teenage protagonist Jacob Lansa follows his biologist father to Africa where the father is researching elephants. The Lansa character also appears in 1999
s Jaguar and 2001's The Last Lobo. Other novels by Smith include The Captain's Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe, Zach's Lie, Jack's Run, Cryptid Hunters, Sasquatch (novel), about a boy who searches for Bigfoot. Peak, the story of a teenage boy obsessed with climbing mountains, Elephant Run and Tentacles(novel). In 2008, Smith published the first book in the series I, Q, titled Independence Hall. Smith's books have won "Book of the Year" awards in Colorado, Nevada, South Carolina, and Florida, as well as in his native Oregon. Smith lives in Tualatin, Oregon with his wife and stepchildren.
Smith was born in Portland, Oregon, and graduated from Portland State University and, following a part-time job at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, began a 20-year career as a zookeeper, both at the Oregon Zoo and the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington. After working to save wildlife following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, in 1990, he published his first book, Sea Otter Rescue, a non-fiction account of the process of animal rescue. Smith continued to draw upon his zoo experiences for other non-fiction titles, including Journey of the Red Wolf, which won an Oregon Book Award in 1996.
In 1997, Smith published his first novel, Thundercave. The book continues Smith's theme, as teenage protagonist Jacob Lansa follows his biologist father to Africa where the father is researching elephants. The Lansa character also appears in 1999
s Jaguar and 2001's The Last Lobo. Other novels by Smith include The Captain's Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe, Zach's Lie, Jack's Run, Cryptid Hunters, Sasquatch (novel), about a boy who searches for Bigfoot. Peak, the story of a teenage boy obsessed with climbing mountains, Elephant Run and Tentacles(novel). In 2008, Smith published the first book in the series I, Q, titled Independence Hall. Smith's books have won "Book of the Year" awards in Colorado, Nevada, South Carolina, and Florida, as well as in his native Oregon. Smith lives in Tualatin, Oregon with his wife and stepchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
July 6, 2010
This book has the dumbest looking cover ever, hence the reason NONE of my students would read it last year. I even had a hard time starting it! But once I did, it was excellent. Jacob goes on a quest to Kenya in search of his zoologist father who is trying to save elephants from poaching. He is a smart but realistic main character who you really find yourself rooting for. The author offers great visual descriptions of the African landscape as well. If you like adventure novels, this one is for you!
August 13, 2015
When Mrs. Buchwald first showed me the book I didn't think I was going to like it. But when I read the first sentence I was automatically hooked. I read it in one day. I fell in love with all of Roland Smith. Thanks! Mrs. Buchwald
March 27, 2011
Elements and Style: Roland Smith creates a great vocab by using some of the native language of Kenya, Africa which is the main setting in this book. Twists and turns in the plot kept me guessing till the end of the book. Roland hooked me into the book at the very beginning by starting the book off with a important event take place. I highly recommend this book and I love how in this book different little stories all hook together to make the main plot.
Characterization: This book's main character is Jacob Lansa who's parents are divorced and he is part Native American and Italian. You can judge that he pretty brave because he travels to Africa all alone. The first person view that the book is told through, adds to the great details throughout the book.
Plot:Jacob Lansa's parents have divorced and his father lives away from him in Kenya while he lives in New York with his mom and step dad. When his mom is hit by a car his step dad plans to send Jacob to live with his Strict aunt and uncle. So Jacob buy's a plane ticket and fly's to Kenya, Africa to live with his father. But Jacob soon finds out that Kenya is not the safest place and he has to run into the wild. Jacob is near death because of a forest fire but a native to Africa saves him and helps Jacob recover. Because Jacob knows some of the native language and because the native know's English they can speak to each and Jacob learns the man's name is Supeet. Supeet teaches Jacob Native things and they practice together. After Jacob is fully recovered they start moving closer to Jacob's Dad's camp because Jacob's dad is a field biologist. Supeet goes to a sacred cave called "Thunder Cave" and performs a rain dance because a drought is going on. Jacob leaves him alone because Supeet is in some sort of trance and goes to find his father. He is chased by elephant poachers cause he scared their elephants away and is picked by a man flying a plane. The man know's where Jacob's father is and then turns out to be the owner of the poaching company. The man and Jacob's father make a deal and they tranquilize an elephant and get they tusks. They find the elephants and are about to shoot them when Jacob's father tranquilizes a poacher and then is shot in the leg. The elephants start running farther away and the poachers leave Jacob's father but take Jacob and drive after the elephant's. They reach thunder cave and follow the elephant Jacob breaks free of the poachers grasp and runs into the cave with the elephants. The poachers try to follow but are trampled and the elephants leave the cave. Jacob finds Supeet and they leave together. But the owner of the poaching company takes off on a plane but Jacob planted a elephant tracker in the back. The owner is found and brought in and Jacob's dad recovers in a hospital. Jacob then say's good bye to Supeet and Jacob and his dad fly back to New York.
Characterization: This book's main character is Jacob Lansa who's parents are divorced and he is part Native American and Italian. You can judge that he pretty brave because he travels to Africa all alone. The first person view that the book is told through, adds to the great details throughout the book.
Plot:Jacob Lansa's parents have divorced and his father lives away from him in Kenya while he lives in New York with his mom and step dad. When his mom is hit by a car his step dad plans to send Jacob to live with his Strict aunt and uncle. So Jacob buy's a plane ticket and fly's to Kenya, Africa to live with his father. But Jacob soon finds out that Kenya is not the safest place and he has to run into the wild. Jacob is near death because of a forest fire but a native to Africa saves him and helps Jacob recover. Because Jacob knows some of the native language and because the native know's English they can speak to each and Jacob learns the man's name is Supeet. Supeet teaches Jacob Native things and they practice together. After Jacob is fully recovered they start moving closer to Jacob's Dad's camp because Jacob's dad is a field biologist. Supeet goes to a sacred cave called "Thunder Cave" and performs a rain dance because a drought is going on. Jacob leaves him alone because Supeet is in some sort of trance and goes to find his father. He is chased by elephant poachers cause he scared their elephants away and is picked by a man flying a plane. The man know's where Jacob's father is and then turns out to be the owner of the poaching company. The man and Jacob's father make a deal and they tranquilize an elephant and get they tusks. They find the elephants and are about to shoot them when Jacob's father tranquilizes a poacher and then is shot in the leg. The elephants start running farther away and the poachers leave Jacob's father but take Jacob and drive after the elephant's. They reach thunder cave and follow the elephant Jacob breaks free of the poachers grasp and runs into the cave with the elephants. The poachers try to follow but are trampled and the elephants leave the cave. Jacob finds Supeet and they leave together. But the owner of the poaching company takes off on a plane but Jacob planted a elephant tracker in the back. The owner is found and brought in and Jacob's dad recovers in a hospital. Jacob then say's good bye to Supeet and Jacob and his dad fly back to New York.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2024
The pacing at the end got a little weird, but it’s a good story with some intense action.
January 15, 2011
A good adventure book!
October 12, 2020
There are a lot of interesting facts in this Middle Grade novel about a half-white, half-Hopi kid who goes searching for his Hopi biologist father in Kenya. The Native American characters are treated sympathetically, as are the Masai characters. (I can't comment about the authenticity of some scenes regarding Masai beliefs.) And of course who doesn't love elephants and hate poachers? But, writing about poaching in Kenya without delving into British colonialism is a bit like writing about criminal justice in the US without talking about institutional racism and the history of slavery. The evil in the story comes from two sources: drought (this was written in 1995, before the environmental movement against global warming) and greed.
What's missing from this book? The reason why there are so few elephants left. Most were wiped out by capitalist "technology" in the 19th and 20th centuries. Machines quickly process elephant tusks into piano keys and billiard balls for Europe and the USA. Aside from natural droughts, the nations of Africa starve for the same reason people starve all over the global South: the theft of land by European colonists. The British gave its white colonists 5,000 acres just to move to Kenya. Thus African farmers were forced into wage slavery or into urban slums and desperate poverty. Poor people kill elephants and other wildlife to survive.
Therefore there is no solution to the disappearance of animals until we "disappear" the basic system of exploitation, capitalism, and return the land to the people and Nature. Not a challenge that can be solved by a teenager. Still, this is a great story to discuss, as long as you teach about colonialism.
What's missing from this book? The reason why there are so few elephants left. Most were wiped out by capitalist "technology" in the 19th and 20th centuries. Machines quickly process elephant tusks into piano keys and billiard balls for Europe and the USA. Aside from natural droughts, the nations of Africa starve for the same reason people starve all over the global South: the theft of land by European colonists. The British gave its white colonists 5,000 acres just to move to Kenya. Thus African farmers were forced into wage slavery or into urban slums and desperate poverty. Poor people kill elephants and other wildlife to survive.
Therefore there is no solution to the disappearance of animals until we "disappear" the basic system of exploitation, capitalism, and return the land to the people and Nature. Not a challenge that can be solved by a teenager. Still, this is a great story to discuss, as long as you teach about colonialism.
September 22, 2020
Thunder Cave is by Roland Smith. Roland, like fellow authors Ben Mickelsen and Will Hobbs, started writing with the idea of getting middle school boys to read and to like it. His books take boys on various adventures. This one takes Jake to Kenya.
Jake’s father was a field biologist who was in Kenya to study elephants. His Mother and step-father were anthropologists and taught at the university in New York. Although his Father was gone most of the time now, he made a point of writing to Jake and calling when he could. Jake followed his father’s path through Kenya by marking where he was on a calendar in his room. He had loved learning from his father when he was at the zoo in New York City.
Then, the unthinkable happened. His Mother was killed when a car hit her while she was jogging. Jake got to the hospital in time to see her before she died. Now, he was left in New York with his step-father. His Father wasn’t even able to get back for her funeral. Jake was devastated and suffered even more when his step-father told him that he would be going to Wisconsin to live with his aunt and uncle. The apartment would be closed and he would be going on a dig in Venezuela. Jake didn’t like the idea so he decided to go to Kenya to find his Father in spite of the unrest in Kenya. He didn’t have much money after buying the airplane ticket, so he decided to take his bicycle and bike across Kenya.
What adventures will he have crossing Africa? Will he find his Dad?
Jake’s father was a field biologist who was in Kenya to study elephants. His Mother and step-father were anthropologists and taught at the university in New York. Although his Father was gone most of the time now, he made a point of writing to Jake and calling when he could. Jake followed his father’s path through Kenya by marking where he was on a calendar in his room. He had loved learning from his father when he was at the zoo in New York City.
Then, the unthinkable happened. His Mother was killed when a car hit her while she was jogging. Jake got to the hospital in time to see her before she died. Now, he was left in New York with his step-father. His Father wasn’t even able to get back for her funeral. Jake was devastated and suffered even more when his step-father told him that he would be going to Wisconsin to live with his aunt and uncle. The apartment would be closed and he would be going on a dig in Venezuela. Jake didn’t like the idea so he decided to go to Kenya to find his Father in spite of the unrest in Kenya. He didn’t have much money after buying the airplane ticket, so he decided to take his bicycle and bike across Kenya.
What adventures will he have crossing Africa? Will he find his Dad?
September 10, 2021
After Jacob's mother dies after a tragic accident, his stepfather is going to send him to live with his uncle. Jacob has other plans and instead runs away to a journey in Kenya to find his father.
I struggled with this book. The writing was entirely unemotional. It lacked the writing that I generally love from Smith. The book also relies on your ability to be able to suspend your disbelief. Many of the events throughout the novel are very convenient and Jacob's problems end up being solved very quickly and with little effort.
While I love that Smith tries to bring attention to different issues in the world, he fails to truly delve into the issues being presented. His discussions on different issues tend to leave out a lot of information on why it is an issue that we are facing.
Even thought Jacob doesn't make the smartest decisions, I still liked him as a character. He is someone who learn throughs failing and never really lets his failures get to him. I also really liked that this book stressed the importance of elephants and other animals in this world.
I struggled with this book. The writing was entirely unemotional. It lacked the writing that I generally love from Smith. The book also relies on your ability to be able to suspend your disbelief. Many of the events throughout the novel are very convenient and Jacob's problems end up being solved very quickly and with little effort.
While I love that Smith tries to bring attention to different issues in the world, he fails to truly delve into the issues being presented. His discussions on different issues tend to leave out a lot of information on why it is an issue that we are facing.
Even thought Jacob doesn't make the smartest decisions, I still liked him as a character. He is someone who learn throughs failing and never really lets his failures get to him. I also really liked that this book stressed the importance of elephants and other animals in this world.
April 9, 2021
Jacob Lansa lived with his mother and stepfather in New York until his mother is killed in a car accident. Instead of going to Nebraska to live with his uncle, Jacob decides to begin a perilous adventure to find his father in the Kenyan wilderness where he is researching elephant behavior. What follows is a series of adventures that teaches Jacob more than he ever could have imagined.
Thunder Cave is filled with danger and a little bit of the supernatural. Jacob's father is full-blooded Hopi, and some of the supernatural elements come from Hopi mythology as well as that of native Kenya. Clearly this is a well-researched book. Jacob is resourceful and determined, but still runs into trouble in his search for his father. Thunder Cave is filled with lessons about dealing with loss, overcoming obstacles, and attaining goals. Overall, this is a fun middle grade book that includes lots of action and adventure.
Thunder Cave is filled with danger and a little bit of the supernatural. Jacob's father is full-blooded Hopi, and some of the supernatural elements come from Hopi mythology as well as that of native Kenya. Clearly this is a well-researched book. Jacob is resourceful and determined, but still runs into trouble in his search for his father. Thunder Cave is filled with lessons about dealing with loss, overcoming obstacles, and attaining goals. Overall, this is a fun middle grade book that includes lots of action and adventure.
February 19, 2025
2nd grade me was invested in this book more than anything in the world. My teacher fell and broke her hip so we got a substitute teacher for the entire year. She decided to read us a book for the first couple days, either to figure out what was going to happen or because she didn’t know what to do. But what ever the case, she read this book, I remember the tone of her voice and being enthralled with the story line of Jacob and his adventure to find his father. The people and animals that he meets along the way. The juxtaposition of the cultures he experiences. I definitely need to reread this as I have gotten older (7 to know 24) so it’s probably not as good as I remember. But it still holds a dear place in my heart.
December 2, 2017
It's funny. When I read fantasy novels, I have no problem buying into magical powers and dragons and the like. When I read this book and a fourteen year old boy has no problems booking a flight to Kenya and getting a visa on his own with no parental permission and then travels a couple hundred miles on his bike to find his father in the African bush...
Yeah. The suspended disbelief isn't working for me here. I couldn't enjoy the story because I couldn't buy any of it. It was all too convenient and even the twists where Jacob was in danger were solved quickly and neatly. It didn't make for much of a story.
Yeah. The suspended disbelief isn't working for me here. I couldn't enjoy the story because I couldn't buy any of it. It was all too convenient and even the twists where Jacob was in danger were solved quickly and neatly. It didn't make for much of a story.
March 25, 2022
After living in Kenya for a while and visiting almost every year, I always love a good book set in Africa. This books holds to be culturally true, in my experience. The only culturally irregularity that I saw was the kindness of the police man. In my experience and going with the cultural norms in Kenya, police are known for corruption and brutality. That being said, I know there are good ones out there. The characters and plot are developed really well. I am very much looking forward to the next books in the series.
March 13, 2019
I just happened to pick this audiobook up thinking it was a different one completely. Didn’t realize I was listening to the wrong one for a bit. I loved this book. The narrators voice is soothing yet captivating. I was drawn in from the very beginning. Well done book. It did have some swearing, especially around the poachers parts). I really felt I was right there with Jacob. So many simple, yet beautiful, layers in this book. Loved it!
April 8, 2023
A great adventure/survival story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The cover is so dated and ugly, but I think this book will still thrill middle grade readers. When his mom dies suddenly, Jacob sets out on his own to find his dad, a research biologist in Kenya. He faces muggers, deadly animals, infection, and poachers, but it turns out, his purpose in Kenya is greater than finding his father. Can he save the elephants near extinction?
December 7, 2023
"Thunder Cave" is pretty good. It's an exciting, action-packed book. I liked the parts about Masai culture, and I really liked Supeet as a character. I thought the setup was too convoluted and unnecessary; there are much easier ways that are more believable to get Jacob into the African wilderness looking for his dad.
December 30, 2020
Meh. spent most of the book in a really unemotional description of losing his mother. got the feeling that Smith never lost anyone close to him. reads very unconvincingly.
Africa part was better, though not super realistic. tries to pair some voodo rain ceremony with real life and it all ends up happy. blah blah blah
Africa part was better, though not super realistic. tries to pair some voodo rain ceremony with real life and it all ends up happy. blah blah blah
March 26, 2021
Lots of action, teaching about animals, life in Kenya and spirituality of the natives and American Indians. I probably would have given this 4 stars, but for the profanity. (which is pointless and poor modeling for young readers)
December 17, 2017
don't turn this book done because of the cover! Although it's not the best cover inside it's a really good book. And I didnt even realize when I borrowed this book that it's a series.
good adventure.
good adventure.
April 30, 2018
Good adventure story for kids. Similar to Hatchet, but not as good, but lots of action.
April 23, 2020
Excellent story with lots of action. 3rd grade through adults would enjoy this books. There is some mild language.
June 12, 2021
An engaging story of a boy’s adventure to Kenya to find his father. Our middle school reads this book as a One Book, One School event, and the kids enjoy the story very much.
September 8, 2025
This was a nostalgia reread. :) I loved this book series as a kid and really enjoyed the reread!
January 1, 2026
I loved this book as a kid. A great book for any kid that loves animals
December 8, 2009
Jacob's parents are divorced and he hasn't seen his dad for a couple of years, since his mom remarried. His dad writes often, though, from his research camp in Kenya where he studies elephant behavior. Jacob's life was pretty predictable until the day his mom was hit by a car. She died that night. Jacob's stepdad was offered a job in Honduras, and he doesn't want to be responsible for Jacob, so he plans to send him away -- not to his dad, but to relatives Jacob barely knows.
Jacob's opportunity to change his living arrangements comes the next day when his stepdad leaves for a business meeting out of town. Jacob already has a passport. He withdraws all his money from his bank (will a bank allow a kid to withdraw hundreds of dollars?) and pawns his mother's diamond rings. (Will a pawnshop transact business with a minor?) With the money, he buys a plane ticket to Nairobi that leaves in two days. (Will a travel agent sell a ticket to a third world country to an unaccompanied minor?) Then Jacob goes to the Kenyan Embassy and convinces them to give him a visa immediately. (Hmmm. This one is the hardest to believe. Visas take time and political pull. No one can walk in to the embassy and walk out with a visa. You have to apply, and then wait, sometimes as much as 6 months.) Since he will be biking across Kenya, Jacob packs his camping gear, and has the airline load his bike with the luggage.
Jacob was in Nairobi less than a day when his bike was stolen and he was beaten up. From this point on, the story is an exciting "My Side of the Mountain" adventure, with interesting face-to-face meetings with wild animals and even ivory poachers. There is drought and danger at every turn as Jacob pushes into the wild, parched country to find his father.
I understand that the author had to figure out a way to get the boy into Africa unaccompanied, but it was difficult for me to believe that it could have happened this way. On the other hand, children are less informed about the ins and outs of international travel, and will probably go right along with the possibilities here. It includes lots of African folklore, native magic, and factual information about elephants, survival in drought-stricken lands, and ivory poaching.
Boys in 4th to 8th grade who like danger and adventure will love this book.
Jacob's opportunity to change his living arrangements comes the next day when his stepdad leaves for a business meeting out of town. Jacob already has a passport. He withdraws all his money from his bank (will a bank allow a kid to withdraw hundreds of dollars?) and pawns his mother's diamond rings. (Will a pawnshop transact business with a minor?) With the money, he buys a plane ticket to Nairobi that leaves in two days. (Will a travel agent sell a ticket to a third world country to an unaccompanied minor?) Then Jacob goes to the Kenyan Embassy and convinces them to give him a visa immediately. (Hmmm. This one is the hardest to believe. Visas take time and political pull. No one can walk in to the embassy and walk out with a visa. You have to apply, and then wait, sometimes as much as 6 months.) Since he will be biking across Kenya, Jacob packs his camping gear, and has the airline load his bike with the luggage.
Jacob was in Nairobi less than a day when his bike was stolen and he was beaten up. From this point on, the story is an exciting "My Side of the Mountain" adventure, with interesting face-to-face meetings with wild animals and even ivory poachers. There is drought and danger at every turn as Jacob pushes into the wild, parched country to find his father.
I understand that the author had to figure out a way to get the boy into Africa unaccompanied, but it was difficult for me to believe that it could have happened this way. On the other hand, children are less informed about the ins and outs of international travel, and will probably go right along with the possibilities here. It includes lots of African folklore, native magic, and factual information about elephants, survival in drought-stricken lands, and ivory poaching.
Boys in 4th to 8th grade who like danger and adventure will love this book.
December 19, 2017
BORING.
October 7, 2012
When Jacob fulfills a promise to his grandfather, Taw, and travels with him back to the Hopi reservation where he was born, he gets a lot more than a quiet trip to the desert. He quickly discovers that the Hopi on the reservation are divided over a lobo, a Mexican wolf, that people say is hunting on the reservation. There are some who want to kill the lobo, and others who...more When Jacob fulfills a promise to his grandfather, Taw, and travels with him back to the Hopi reservation where he was born, he gets a lot more than a quiet trip to the desert. He quickly discovers that the Hopi on the reservation are divided over a lobo, a Mexican wolf, that people say is hunting on the reservation. There are some who want to kill the lobo, and others who are angry enough to kill anyone who gets in the way. The lobo is an endangered species, thought to have disappeared from New Mexico all together. Jake knows that if the lobo does exist, he must do everything in his power to help it. But time is running out.
September 22, 2016
I give this book 5 stars because I really enjoyed reading this book. The book is about a fourteen year old boy named Jacob who is going to the African bush to find his father Dr. Robert Lansa. Along the way he meets a man named Supeet whom has a similar mission. I liked this book because I'm into adventure and this book gave me exactly what I was looking for. Rolland describes characters really well."You and I ( Jacob's Mom and Dad ) may not have been suited for one another, but we did manage to produce a very special human being."(Smith 199). Also the line " Your dad's pretty damn stubborn."(ex p.g. 201) is said in Jacob's mind repeatedly throughout the book. Smith writes what Jacob is thinking to help the reader understand more about the setting or plot. Overall the book was very well written and a book I would recommend.
August 15, 2015
Jacob Lansa is about to go on the adventure of a lifetime. His mom passes away and his stepfather wants to ship him off to relatives he hardly knows. Jacob decides to find his father in Africa where he is studying elephants.
Jacob, who is half Hopi and all New Yorker, figures out how to get himself to Africa, but then has to find his father in the wild where a drought has decimated the area. Jacob has to navigate the language barrier, the poachers, and the country which is nothing like what he is used to.
Very exciting. Also gives kids a lesson in some of the problems with stopping the poaching of endangered species. For older Middle Grade readers and younger YA because of language and scenarios.
Jacob, who is half Hopi and all New Yorker, figures out how to get himself to Africa, but then has to find his father in the wild where a drought has decimated the area. Jacob has to navigate the language barrier, the poachers, and the country which is nothing like what he is used to.
Very exciting. Also gives kids a lesson in some of the problems with stopping the poaching of endangered species. For older Middle Grade readers and younger YA because of language and scenarios.
March 3, 2009
Thunder Cave by Roland Smith is an awesome book! It is filled with action and suspense, which I love. Thunder Cave is about a boy named Jacob Lansa who has just lost his mother in a running accident, and to make things worse, he has to live with his stepfather, Sam, that couldn't care less about him. His real father, Robert Lansa, is studying elephants in Kenya, which has just suffered a drought. So, Jacob decides to go to Kenya to find his father, but what he doesn't know is Kenya is filled with refugees begging for food, and theives galore. So, if you want to find out if Jacob finds his father or not, read this book!!!:):):)
May 20, 2008
This book is definitely a good one. It was a book my local book chat picked out to discuss. A few days before the chat, I still hadn't read it, so I picked it up before I went to bed...and you can guess the rest. I couldn't put it down! From being robbed, to meeting a lion face to face, young Jacob Lansa is on the wildest adventure of his life. He sets out to find his father in Kenya and ends up helping a masai named Supeet, to bring the rains back to Kenya and save the great elephants from the poachers. This is an amazing and gripping story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews